SAHM to 2 boys Money Diary

mummy2mygirls

Hello also just wanted to pop on and say hi
Hope the car boot went ok today and you made some money......

SAHMto2boys

Morning:wave:

Yay - love it when people have replied!


Sorry folks, I'm struggling getting on here this week with DH being home - roll on him being at work tomorrow! Thanks for asking!

Car boot went ok but god, people really want something for nothing. As a last minute thing I chucked in a bag of my clothes I was going to Charity Shop and most of them sold for 50p each so that was a result. I had a long linen Next skirt that didn't fit me, I asked one woman 30p for it and she haggled it for 20p. In then end I thought if you need that badly just take it. There were a few people who brought baby clothes that looked like they were struggling so just filled bags up for them for 50p. In all we made about £60!!! Sold a few big baby items (like a playmat, chair for a £5 each) but it mostly stuff for 50p or £1 (baby clothes 30p) so I was dead surprised (and happy) to count it all up.

Have put £12 straight into an envelope for DS trip, the rest I plan on banking to pay off the cc! Woohoo!!!:j

Normally we would have spent about £50 this weekend on booze, takeaway and a lunch out somewhere with the kids (cafe at the park or shopping/garden centre) but so far I've spent £6.60 all weekend!!:D Had a tot up of money I've got left for rest of month and its looking good, might mean I can afford to pay swimming out right without having to juggle which would be a big help next month. Shouldn't spend much today as just going to in laws for lunch.

Plus final Ebay payment come through so hopefully anoth £11 coming in from Paypal.

Enjoy your Sunday folks, its lovely and sunny here so hope the sun is shining for everyone else xx

Jo_R_2

Wow £60 is brilliant! Do you do the car boots often - OH has mentioned maybe having a go a while ago so thinking we ought to if we can make that!

Liking the very inexpensive weekend, I too also take advantage of seeing the family as it's always a lovely day (esp. for the kids) and means we don't have to spend much if at all.

Pinky15

Wow - well done on the car boot every little helps! i think this year was the first year we ever paid for swimming outright rather than putting it on the credit card as in the past we would have - its a great feeling!!:)

cha97michelle

Found you. Sorry to hear things are so tight for you. When i found myself here, i started thinking what can i control being a SAHM, and then set to work to try and do it.

• gas and electric - we have just changed companies, and i have been monitoring our usage with an OWL monitor. I read the meter weekly for these and the water, and try and keep it low as i can each week. Eg. if i am using the oven i try to bake something as well, or i try to cook more casserole type dishes in my slow cooker. Double up the quantity of most meals so another day that week it takes less time and energy to cook. Being at home all day it is easy to leave stuff like the telly on a bit longer, or run extra washloads that aren't full ones.
• food budget - trying to lower by using approved food when they have good things in, or a new shop near us that sells similar stuff and a lot of frozen food too. Rubber meals - just cooked 2 chickens so for £6 we will have chicken now in sandwiches and meals all week, or i might freeze some to save us getting too bored. Bulk everything out with veg and pulses. Meal plan. When things seem really tight, i end up walking to the shops a few times that week and only buy what we need desperately. Limits me as well as i can't carry too much. You can also find more yellow stickered stuff if you go up frequently. DH pops in sometimes on the way home from work for me and gets really good bargains like a pack of nice sausages for 13p. I'm also trying to fill the kids up by making up jellies with fruit in. Makes the fruit bowl contents last longer and the kids really like it.
• sell what you can - ebay has been really great for me in the past month. I have had most luck selling old kids shoes. I tend to pick my two stuff up in the clarks outlet shop and they sell well when they have done as they are still in good condition.
• clothes - let people you know give you stuff. My sisters have given me all kinds for my two. Helps us all having boys. I repay the favour by passing on what i can to my nextdoor neighbour for her grandkids.
• quidco - i am just working my way through some of the things you can do for free and get cashback like get your credit report, or daily clicks. I've done a couple of bingo sites in the past 2 months, and they gave me back my bonus and extra credit. I had a £10 win on one site and an £80 on the other. I can now play free bingo and scratch cards on these sites daily.
• surveys - i am registered with a lot of companies and get a little bit back that way.

I'm probably not telling you anything new.

My only debt is the mortgage, but like you i want all debt gone. My speciality is moving really tiny amounts across that are so un-noticeable in my daily life but they make a huge difference. Even if it is only a penny i have saved it goes. Helps i can do it online so i don't feel stupid. So far this year i've managed to overpay nearly £1500 on my mortgage, so it is working for me.

I've just started mystery shopping too. I've only done one so far, and there are not that many around but the way i look at it, it is a few extra pennies. The one next week is a little way from us, but i took it as it is next to a park and we can take the boys there afterwards. We'll take a packed lunch, i'll buy some stuff we need during the shop, and we'll be able to claim the mileage allowance to the tax man.

Go girl - you can do it. It is hard for everyone, but if you keep at it you can chase the wolves from the door.

SAHMto2boys

Evening, DH has just gone for a run so I can sneak on.

Jo - its only the 3rd time we've done one, the first was years ago and then we did another one about 3 years ago just before we moved. That one went great and we made about £100 so we went to the same one yesterday but it had changed a lot. It was more like a sunday market than a car boot. I've been trying to think how we could have made so much and what we sold but I'm stuggling to remember. Oh well, someone must have wanted my junk. I really do think they are worth doing but research it first so I would have gone to another one if I'd have known what it was like.

Pinky - thanks, well done on paying for swimming! We've only just signed DS into lessons as he loves swimming and I'm embrassed to say I did it partly for keeping up with the Jones':o but he loves it and is doing well already - they are just quite expensive though aren't they?

Thanks Michelle - yes you're not telling me anything new but I don't seem to do anything with the knowledge I have so you've inspired me to try harder.:o Thanks for taking the time to reply. You're right the TV is on for too much and I really need to meal plan better. I'm throwing food away which is awful on so many levels, thanks for all the tips. To be able to put £1500 off your mortgage is brilliant - well done. We have something that I think is like approved foods local so I must go and check it out, Aldi and Lidl are local too so I need to shop there more, I always used too.

Just had a quick tot up and I've got £24 in my purse, £11 in the bank but waiting for Paypal of £33 and then £30 in my cupboard stash to last until 28th to pay for everything between now and then. Swimming hasn't got to be paid till next week so I'll do that by cheque and it can come off next months budget. Have got friends over on Saturday for food but have put some cash away for that. Have been invited out next week for a meal and drinks too but think I'll have to give that a miss as I don't want to go overdrawn. Food wise shouldn't be bad as have a far bit in the freezers.

Am fed up of running out of money half way through the month:mad: To end on a positive I've spent £6.60 all weekend and had a NSD today - go me!! Oh and my first Saturday and Sunday booze free for one of the first time in years (apart from being pregnant):o

cha97michelle

I'll buddy up with you and bounce ideas. I am full of great ones but it can be hard with littlies to gain momentum to carry them out.

I alway feel so skint but i know really i am doing it to myself to help our progress as a family. I have a constant nagging though that maybe it is not enough or perhaps i should have done something a little better. Deep down i know i will be like this when the mortgage is gone and i will just put my efforts into saving for our future instead.

Sounds like a cheap weekend. Well done on no alcohol days. I need to get back on the wagon a bit for health and cost reasons. I tend to buy a 3L box from costco about 1-2 times a month, and they are about £13. Not that expensive but a bit of a waste of money really. I'm also bad at snacking and know i could save loads if i gave up all my vices and probably be a lot fitter and healthier.

SAHMto2boys

Morning!

Michelle - I know you say the wine is a waste of money but you do need a little ttreat here and there and at least you are doing it the cheapest way. Snacking is a big thing of mine as I'm always stuffing something in, we can just eat our way threw packets of biscuits. Made cakes with DS on Friday and already gone but to be far in laws had some on Saturday whilst they babysat. Great idea to buddy up although my ideas are a bit old but motivation I have!

Well, hit the ground running this morning. We have been setting the alarm just 5 mins earlier but it seems to give us loads more time in the mornings. Managed to get the SC on with a chunk of gammon this morning and have a good tidy up before we left for school. Also stripped off the some of the sofa covers and put them in the WM - really hope that was a good idea! Baby is currently asleep in his cot so I've just had a scrub at the arms and the base of the sofa, the colour of the water was terrible so hopefully they'll look better. Have a lovely faux fur throw that can go over one for when its just us in to try and keep it semi-nice looking.

Have a huge list of jobs I want to achieve this week, todays jobs are

Wash sofa covers, clean base
Pack lunch for DS/Gymnastics
Hoover car out/splash of diesel in
Clean kitchen window
Meal plan/list
Ebay tonight (monday listing always do well for me)

Checked the bank accounts but realised I need to put some diesel in my car but hopefully £10 will be enough. Have got a emergancy £20 left in bank so will have to raid that. Right WM finished so better peg out and get next lot in.

cha97michelle

We must have woken up with similar frames of mind today. I too have a corking to do list. I could do with doing quite a few of the jobs on your list too like hoover car and wash settee, but i haven't the luxury of anyone having a little nap for me while i do it. My DS2 has the occasional afternoon power nap but usually if we nip out in the car or maybe once a week. Then there is still DS2 to occupy. Gets ridiculous as they can make more mess than i can clean up. :eek:

We also get through horrendous amounts of crisps and biscuits, so i have been trying to get them to snack more on fruit and veg, breadsticks and crackers. If i keep us all busy we are less likely to do it. Yet another reason to get out the house.

I hear what you are saying about the wine. I think i am just letting myself have too many treats. We went for a walk to the park this morning and i am realising i need to lose a bit of weight too before it gets really hot or all my clothes are too tight and i will look bad. Plus how out of puff i felt, although i now that was because my cold is still lingering too.

SAHMto2boys

Well, the 'to do list' is mostly still there. The baby has decided that today he would mostly cry or squeal at the top of his voice so much I've wanted to pull my own ears off. Days like this I feel so sorry for my older DS. Although he had a great time at gymnastics and we've had an extra treat in that I took him a biscuit up when he'd gone to bed and we snuggled up eating those.

While baby slept this morning I ended up giving the living room a bit of a spring clean, just need DH to help me wrestle the seat covers off and wash tomorrow and the sofa will look like new again. After some inventive stuffing with some old flat pillows, the arm cushions are lovely and plump again.

Decided to nip to Home Bargains this afternoon to see what I could get there off my shopping list. Also pop in a lot as they often sell really good toys at half price and I'm already brought up for both DS's birthdays and a good way to Christmas gifts for them. Spent £6.70 (used cash) and really thought about the things I was buying and stood deciding which products were the best value. Only things I could have cut out were 3 cans of coke @ 29p but felt I needed one for my mental health or the safety of others (got three so I could put 2 away as a treat while they were cheap/normally buy a bottle at £1) and 69p on a Postman Pat cookie mix that DS spotted and after him being so good I didn't feel I could say no. Also needed something from Boots at 3.99 but had enough points so used them.

Plus dare I say it - I don't like to say no to him, think that be something I need to address. The whole 'you'll have a better childhood than us' type thing going on.

I always used to shop like this, do frugal things like add soda crystals to my wash powder but then got in the mind set of 'hey, I've got spare cash now, I can spend what I want, use the tumble dryer when I want, why dilute wash powder when I have cash' but in reality that cash was never spare. It was to clear my 0% card off of the car, doing up the garden, etc. At least I seem to be able to squeeze back into my frugal shoes quite easily and hopefully I'll say in this DFW mindset, I already feel this diary is helping.

On a plus note DH has just finished a bottle of wine we opened on Friday and I wasn't remotely tempted. I'm dropping down tired tonight so will watch the Wormwood Scrubs programme and feed the baby then to bed for me.